Beautiful Day
by Deluxe Sugar Quills
Summary: Up in a treetop, young and finally free... Oneshot, HG.


_A/N: Yes, I've been gone, but I'm back! I've hit somewhat of a writer's block, but I may be having a bigger project in the works._

_Disclaimer: You can't make money off of anything you post on the Internet, anyway. Didn't make it._

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Beautiful Day

The sun was bright and shining, and it was a lovely day outside. Trees waved in a slight breeze, and butterflies fluttered by lazily. But there was no one outside, enjoying the beautiful day. The Burrow seemed silent, though occasionally a pale face looked out from behind a curtain.

Well, there was one person outside. But she wasn't frolicking in the sun. Instead, she was sitting in a tree – and she had been sitting in that tree for no less than an hour. She wasn't saying anything, or really doing anything – just sitting there.

Just then, a second figure exited the house – a boy, his hair black, and circles under his eyes that still hadn't faded away. He was headed straight for the tree, and hoisted himself into the branches, settling down next to the girl. The couple sat in silence for a few moments.

Harry searched for something to ask her. He couldn't ask if she was okay, as it was pretty obvious that she wasn't. No one really was, not after the battle and everything that had happened. Not after Fred.

In reality, it was she who finally broke the ice.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" Ginny asked, her gaze fixed on an undetermined spot somewhere in front of her.

"I'm sitting here with you," he replied.

"But why are you _here_?" she asked. "Why are you here with me, in my spot, and not with Ron and Hermione or someone indoors?"

Harry snorted. "I'm sick of being cooped up in that house. I mean, I love the house, and I love staying there, but I hate being forced to take a vacation, and being in a house where everyone is sullen and mopes around all day isn't my idea of a break."

Ginny looked at him, and opened her mouth as if to say something, but couldn't think of anything. It was true, what he had said – a few days after the battle, when everything that Harry was needed for was taken care of, McGonagall banned him from the school, saying that he needed a break and was not to come back for two weeks. He didn't know what she expected him to do, but he had left with the rest of the Weasleys for the Burrow.

The Burrow, however, wasn't much better than Hogwarts. Mrs. Weasley had immediately set herself to the kitchen and made sure that they were never hungry, even though none of them had much of an appetite. The other Weasleys had holed themselves up in other parts of the house, walking around all day looking like ghosts with red eyes.

"I needed to escape," Harry muttered. "I can't stand it."

"Me neither," Ginny whispered. She glanced at Harry. "I've never seen any of them like this, ever. And you know something is up when Ron doesn't eat." Harry chuckled.

"At least he talks to Hermione," he said. Ginny smiled a knowing smile, and Harry wrapped his arm around her, though this was difficult as they were in a tree.

"Do you want to see something?" Ginny asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Come on," she said. She stood up and grabbed hold of the branch over her. They had been sitting on the lowest branch, but she began to climb higher and higher. When she was halfway up she looked down to Harry.

"Come on!" she repeated, and he began to follow her. They climbed the tree until they reached the very top, hugging themselves to the trunk as to keep their balance. "Look," she whispered.

And he looked. Though the tree didn't seem very high, Harry could see far into the distance. He could see far past the Burrow, all the way out to the nearby village, and even then some. Everything seemed to be spread out before him. There were fields and trees and a stream way out.

"I feel so far away from everything here," Ginny said softly. "So – so—"

"So free?" Harry replied. She nodded.

"Yeah, free. Free from all of the burdens from down there." She paused. "I never realized what a beautiful day today is, not until I got up here. It's so warm!" She turned to Harry, her eyes no longer gloomy but happy – free.

"Yes," Harry replied, looking back at Ginny. "It's a beautiful day."

And they sat there until the sunset, laughing and talking and ignoring the troubles of the outside world. When it was dark Bill was sent looking for them, but he took one look at them sitting in the very top of the tree and went back inside. They didn't need to come back down, not yet. They were free.


End file.
